Outside door for railway cars



July 2, 1935. B. J. oNElLL OUTSIDE DOOR FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed May 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 2, 1935. B. J. oNr-:ILL

OUTSIDE DOOR FOR RAILWAY CARS 2 Sheefcs-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1954 Patented July 2, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,096,474 OUTSIDE DOOR FOR' RAILWAYv CARS Bryan J. ONeill, Peoria, Ill. f Application May 4, 1934, Serial No. 723,862

24 claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in grain door for railway cars.

More particularly it relates'to outside doors for use on railway cars of the type used for shipping side cf the car, made wholly ployed in the capacity of a grain door for re-4 grain, the door of A5 my invention being of a form for use on the 'outof metal, and em* placing' thel quite well'known wooden inside door.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an outside grain door that will be thoroughlyy proof against leakage of grai which it is installed.

Another object lies in provi n from the car on ding a door having separate parts movable relatively to each other by which the loading and un loading of a-car is doorparts of which can belo relatively to the car, and by mechanism.

cked relatively and the use of a single Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description aided lby the appended drawings forming part hereof, it being stated at the outset `that changes of minor nature may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the terms of the claims to follow.

Figure 1 is a side elevationof a portion of a railway car showing thedoor position at the doorway.

of my invention in Figure 2 is a transverse section of'parts of thev structure as produced on line 2-2 ,f Figure 1.

Figure 3 is likewise a transverse section of parts shown in Figure 1 produced on line 3-3 thereof. Figure 4 is a horizontal section of part ofl the wall of a car at the doorway thereof with parts of my grain door stationed thereat.

Figure 5 is a Vertical transverse section of a part of a car together with the door of my preferred construction.

Figures 6 and 7 are horizontal sections of parts of the door produced on'lines spectively, of Figure 1.

6-6 and 7 1, re-

Figure '7a is a top edge view of part of a lower door section.

Figure 8 is an end elevatio-n vof an operating worm,

of a socket portion Figure 9 is an end elevation of parts ofthe door` and members for oper parts, and

ating one of such )door-supporting track 2.

(Cl. ,2U-27) Figure 9a 4shows in perspective part of a ymain door section. Part 'of a railway car is denoted by the character l over the doorway of which' is any usual Suspended from the track is a main doorsection 3 by means of hanger portions it as parts of the latter, in this instance', and lying in the same plane therewith, said section being. spaced at its upper edge' some distance from thetrack, and whose .lower edge, also, is spaced well above the floor 5 of the car. In addition to the said hangers 4 the dooris provided with depending portions Eat each of its Vertical edges, and these may also be parts thereof and lie in the same plane therewith. These. portions E at their lower ends are `upturned into hooks 1, Figuresf and 9, to engage beneath a flange' on the lower` side of a guidemember 8, for example, fixed in position below the'doorway, and along which the said hooks are freely movable.

The space above the main door section 3 is designed to be closed by a second door section 9 having a hanger I0, for example, for suspending one thereof from the saidtrack 2, the lower edge of this said section slidably engaging opposite surfaces of thek section 2 at its top edge, said edge being preferably formed with an oiset as in Figures 5 and 9a to'hang more directly in line with the track 2, 'it being observed that a graintight joint is preserved between the associated edges of the sections.

1 The space below the section 3 is closed by a third'door section Il which lies just behind and inward therefrom as in Figure 5, preferably occupying a position between said section 3 and an inner reinforcing sheet 3 secured to the latter and covering substantially the entire inner face thereof but spaced therefrom for the purposes v stated, the character 32, Figure 4, denoting la spacing member at one edge of these parts.

Y A stud l2 is fixed in an extension 6 of one of the" depending portions `6, for instance; of the door section' 3 and extends to and through one end of the section l I, and a Worm-wheel IZ'is afxedthereto. `Said section Il is loosely mounted on said stud and is adapted to turn about the same, there being mounted on said section H' between ears i3 thereon a worm i4 meshing with said worm-wheel l2. terminates in a squared end I3 to receive an operating wrench, not shown, said squared end lying Ydeep within a tubular portion I32 so that a wrench of a, special socket type is required to Y 'reachit '-On one ofthe jambs at the doorway issecured Preferably the worm shaft Y an L-shaped strip I5, Figure 4, so stationed as to receive the edges of the door sections 3, 9 and I I, bracing them against the load of grain and preventing leakage of the latter.

In order that loss of grain may be prevented at the opposite jarnb for the doorway a trapping means is provided. That is to say, in Figures 6 and 7 at said jamb a strip I3 is secured, said strip having an extension I 'i spaced from and paralleling the outer wall surface of the car. The section 9, Figure 6, has at its vertical edge a return hook portion I 3 which in the closed position of said section engages behind the said extension I'I. Again, in Figures 7 and '7a the main door section and the section Ii both have the hook portions 33 and I I', respectively, for a like purpose, a gra-in tight joint resulting throughout the entire height of the doorway.

Since the upper section 9 of the door is slidable it can be opened to permit entrance of a grain spout through to load the car, and sampling of the grain can be done through the same opening. When it is desired to sample the grain nearer the floor of the car this can be done through an opening 2D in the lower section II which is normally closed by a part next to be described. By pivoting section II it can be raised to discharge the grain through the action of the worm and Wormwheel mechanism previously described.

One of the purposes of the invention is to lock the sections 3 and 9 at one operation, when sealing the door as in usual railroad practice. Secured on the lower portion of the section 3 is a bracket 2i pivoted on which is a lever 22 whose lower end in its swinging movement' may either overlie or expose the said opening 2D, said opening being closed, of course, in the locked and sealed position of such lever. Pivoted to the lever near its upper end is one end'of a bar 23 whose otherend is pivotally connected to a lever-arm 24 on a rock-shaft 25 journaled on said section 3, said rock-shaft extending to the upper section 9 and having at its end an arm 26 arranged to enter an opening 21 ina plate 28 fixed on said section 9. 29 to engage the bracket 2I, and also carries a hasp 30, for instance, to engage any usual staple 3I through which a pin or bolt 32 may extend to receive the customary railway seal 33.

In the position of the named parts shown in continuous lines in Figure 1 it will be seen that the vopening is covered. And in this position, also, the arm 26 of the rock-shaft 25 engages -in the opening 2l of the plate 28. However, when in the position shown in dotted lines the said opening lies exposed and the arm 26 is free of the plate'28 so that the upper section 9 may be shifted. The latch 29 serves to prevent chance opening of the door as a whole when the hasp 30 is disengaged from the staple 3| as might occur during switching operations.

While the lower section II may, ofpourse, be

Ialso locked by a slight change from the structure shown itis in effect locked through the Worm v'and worm-wheel operable only by the special `wrench already mentioned so that miscreants cannot easily Vcause trouble.

It is to be observed that Whereas certain of the operating parts for the section I I have heretofore been mounted upon the vcar itself they are in this instance carried on the door entirely. Thus the dooris a complete unit ready for installation on the zcar.k

It is to be observed that since the wormwheel -I2- isrxed with respect to the main door section The lever 22 carries a latch Y 3, the section II will be moved about the stud I2v by the worm which travels around the said worm-wheel during rotation.

My door structure, in eiect, adds the upper and lower sections 9 and Il, respectively, to the: outside door in common use and thereby an all-- purpose door results in that both a grain door, by special structures, and a door for ordinary merchandise can be accommodated. The usual outside door canonly, of course, be used for one purpose, being fit only for commodities other than grain.

Again, the door of my invention by providing the upper andY lower door sections in an outside door permits ready loading and unloading of the grain thoroughly appreciated by persons having full knowledge of such matters.

' Due to the fact that such an operating arrangement as the worm and worm-wheel is used by which great power is possible, the door section I I can be readily raised even when the weight and pressure of grain liesagainst it. rOn the other hand, because of the fact that the said section passes between the portions 3, 3 of the main door section the weight of grain and the friction thereof against said sectionl II is constantly decreased as the latter moves up behind the inner portion 3. Thus the section is even more easily operated, requiring less and less power the higher it is lifted.

I claim:

i. In an outside door for railway cars, a main door section disposed'to cover the middle height of the doorway of a car, a door section p-ivotally mounted on the main door to cover the space beiow the same and shiftable parallel to said main door, and mechanism for swinging the pivoted section, such mechanism being jointly mounted on the door sections.

2. In combination'with the Wall of a railway car, a unitary structure including a main door section, a mounting to carry the s arne by which. it is free to travel in a direct line lengthwise of the car free of the same, said section arranged to close the door opening in said wall but exposing a. portion ofV the full width ofthe door opening at the iloor of the car, and a second door section pivotally mounted at one end upon the main door section at one side of the said door opening in position Ato rise and fall at the opening, the pivotal mounting for the second door section arranged to maintain that section substantially parallel to the main section and permit it to be shifted vertically, the two door sections being free to be demounted as a unit from the car. Y

3. In combination with a railway car and a door supporting mounting, adocr structure including a main door section carried by the mounting adapted to travel `across the doorway of the car, said section being arranged to create an opening at the doorway above the floor of the car, a second door section mounted upon and wholly supported bythe mainY door section adapted for closing the opening at the iioor, and

means on the main door section for carrying the second section and guiding it in a plane paralleling said main door section, the thus constituted door structure being bodily demounted as a unit from the car and mounting.

4. In combination with the wall of a car havf ing an open doorway, of a mounted and guided main door section adapted to span the doorway and spaced at its lower edge above the floor of the car, the same adapted to be moved horizontally to expose such doorway, and a second door section for closing the space below said edge of sisting of a main movable door section mounted .upon-.the outside of rsuch car and spaced at its upper and lower edges respectively from the upper and lower extremes rof the door opening of said car, and separate door sections mounted on said main section each for `closing one of the resultant spaces, one of the sections being slidable VVupon saidamain section and the other being piv- "oted on the latter and swingable in a plane par'- alleling the same, all of the sections being comprised in a single structure.

6. The invention according to claim 5 with which is included means for operating one of the sections.

7. A grain door for railway cars consisting of ya. structure applicable to the outer side of the car for closing the door-opening thereof, such structure including a main door section covering' part of the height of said door-opening between the upper and lower extremes thereof, a door section in the opening above the main door section, a door section pivoted on and wholly carried by the main door section and covering the v.opening below the saidV main section, and means carried by the two last named sections for operating the pivoted section,vall of the named parts being comprised in a single unit.

8. In an outside grain door for railway cars, a main door section for covering the middle height of the doorway exposing below it the entire width of said doorway, a door section'pivotaliy mounted on the main .door section adapted to close the spacebelow Vthe same, and mechanism for operating the pivoted section comprising a wormwheel ixed with respect to one of the d-oor sections, and a worm journaled on the other of saidv door sections and engaging said worm-wheel.

9. in .an outside grain door for railway cars, a main door section for covering the doorway in that space thereof lying just above-the floor of the car below the main section, a door section pivot-ally mounted on the main door section to overlie said space o-f the doorway, and mechanism for swinging the pivoted section on its pivot comprising a worm-wheel fixed with respect to the main door section, and a worm journaled on the said pivoted section and engaging said worm-wheel. Y

10. A grain door for mounting upon thevouter wall of a railway car, including a main door section, an upper and a lower door section mounted upon the main door section and movable with respect to the same parallel to the plane thereof each adapted to overlie opposite edges of the main door section, and a member at each of the jambs of the doorway with which the sectionsv engage in the closed position of the door for providing grain tight joints between the sections and the Vsaid outer wall of the car.

prising a mounted movable main section ar'-` rangcd to cover part of the said doorway, a second mounted companion door sectiony movable relatively to the main section arranged also tor cover part of such doorway, and means mounted of said lever.k l

ron one lof the sections arranged to have movement relative thereto adapted to engagef'he other section fixing bothsections relatively, and means to secure the irst named` means with resoe'ctvto the wall of the car.

l2. Agrain door for mounting upon the outer side of the wall of `a railway car, including a main door section, an upper-'door section with respect to the main section, means mounted oni the main door section adapted to be s `c fed with respect to the car-wall, means to engage the said upper door section, and a connection betweenfthe twofsaid means adapted to communicate moi/'ement from one to the other. f 'Q i3. A grain door for mounting upon 'the :mter side of the wall of a railway car including a main door section, a lower door section beim-,v the said main section and havingan opening therein,

lever mounted on the Vmain door section adapted to be secured with respect to the car wall, said lever being arranged to cover said opening of th said lower door section inthe secured pol 14. A grain door for mounting upon theouter side of the wall of a railway car, including a main door section, an upper door section mcvaiilewith respect to the main section, means mounted on the main door section adapted to be secured with respect to the car wail, means to engage the said upper door section, a connection between the two said means adapted to communicate movement from one to the other, a. lower do r section ha K an opening therein, the first named means ad pted `in its secured position to overlie said opening.`

l5. A grain door structure including'a main section, a door section slidably engaging one edge of said main section, and a door section pivotaliy mounted on the said main section swingable vparallel to the plane of the same in close relation thereto adjacent the edgeA thereof lying opposite that having the slidable section.

i6. A Vgrain door structure including a main section, a door section slidabiy engaging one edge of the saine, a door section pivotally mounted on the said main section arranged to overlie the same at the opposite edge thereof, and operating mechanism for the named pivoted section, the parts of the mechanism being mounted on both the main section and said pivoted section.

17. The combination with a railway car, of a grain door mounted at the outer side thereof slidable across the door opening thereof, said door including a mounted main section, 'a door section y mounted to have slidable engagement with the top edge of the main section, a door section pivoted o-n the main section at the lower portion thereof, a flange mounted on one of the jambs of the doorway extending substantially the full height thereof and spaced from and paralleling the outer wali of the car, and a return hook portion on each of the corresponding edges of the several door sections adapted in the closed position of the door to engage behind the said flange forming a grain-tight joint at said jamb.

18. The combination with a railway carhaving a doorway in its wall, of a door to extend across said doorway, the same including a shiftable main section, a member secured to the car wall at-one side of the doorway to receive into it an edge of said main section, a hook member secured to the car wall at the other side of the doorway extending along the opening thereof, a hook member aixed to the opposite edge of the main door section adapted to engage thesaid hook member at said doorway in the closed position of the door, said door section having a recess in its lower edge creating an opening for discharge of grain, a second door section for closing the opening, the same overlying a part of the main door section and pivoted to the latter, and two cooperating portions, each carried by one of the sections, the same adapted when operated to swing the secondV section with respect to the main section.

19. 'I'he combination with a railway car and its doorway, of a door including a shiftable main section comprising two spaced parallel portions, a member secured to the car wall at one side ci and extending along said doorway to receive into it the edges of the spaced portions at one edge of the door, a hook member affixed to the car wall at the other side of the doorway extending along the same, one of the said portions of the door a hook to engage said hook member forming a grain-tight joint, ksaid door having a in its lower edge creating an opening for the discharge of grain, and a second door sec tion pivoted at one end upon lthe main section for covering said opening and adapted to be shifted between said spaced portions of said main section.

20.`The combination with the wall of a railway car having a doorway, of a supported and guided main door mounted on the outer side thereof for closing the doorway, means below the doorway to engage the lower portion of the door for preventing the latter swinging away from the doorwa said door having a recess in its Y lower portion at the iioor of the car, a second 21. In combination with a car having a doorway in its side, and an overhead track, of a main door section supported and guided on said track, a second door section pivoted at one end thereto extending below its lower edge, a gear member mounted on each of the sections, each in a xed mounting one meshing with the other adapted in the operation of one of them to transmit movement to the other for tilting the said second section with respect to the said main sectien, a third door section slidable upon said track and engaging the edge of 'the main door section opposite that having the pivoted section, and

' mechanism carried by the main door section for securing that section and the named third door section relatively and relatively to the car.

22. A grain door comprised in a single article consisting of a main door section, a second section pivoted at one end near one of the side edges of the main section, and a gear member mounted on each of the door 4sections meshing one with the other and of a type to x the second section in any position of adjustment.

A grain doorY comprised in a unitary structure consisting of a main door section having a recess in one edge thereof, a second door section pivoted at one edge to an edge of the main section, and a gear member mounted on each of the door sections meshing one with the other and a type to hold the second section in any position of adjustment.

24. A grain door comprised in a unitary structure consisting of a main door section having a recess in one edge thereof, a second door section piveted at one edge to an edge of the main sec tion to cover said recess, a gear member mounted on each of the door sections at the pivotal mounting of the said second section and meshingwith each other, and a third door section slidably engaging the main door section at its edge lying opposite the edge having such recess.

BRYAN J. ONEILL. 

